If any of us truly contained multitudes, it’s Poppy. Dark, light, sweet, sour, the usual ones are there, of course; but with the release of Zig, the US world builder has shown the true depth and scope of her internal creative conflict.
The album is a serve of left-right combos and handbrake turns. “Knockoff” set the pace, which was set and reset with each single release. By the time of single #4, Hard, it was clear fans truly had no idea what type of wickedness this way comes.
And such is the sudden, dramatic and no-holes-barred process for the star, who took a moment to flesh out some of the twists of Zig to Blunt.
My first takeaway from ‘Zig’ is that it’s a massive ‘I’ statement – You’re confidently telling us what you’re about more so than ever before. How accurate is that read, or have I over thought things yet again?
Poppy: I’d say there is accuracy to that statement …
You don’t listen to ‘Zig’ so much as you strap yourself into it and hold on. The final product is both explosive, dramatic and thunderous, but also calm and calculated. Was there a formula or a process behind striking the perfect balance to all of the above? Or did you really just let the wild horses run?
Poppy: There was a skeleton of what I was seeking when making the record, as there is with everything I do, but once you get into it – it always turns out way far from what I’d expect in the end, but that’s all a part of the journey.
The production is so expensive. You’ve released a stadium anthem with Hard, a Bond theme with What It Becomes and a laying on the bed, looking at the ceiling wearing big headphones classic with Linger – just to name a few examples. I’d love to know how you go about creating, capturing and containing that type of energy.
I lean into feeling, what I want to play live, and what the visual representation will look like – setting too many hard lines or barriers for yourself disrupts the journey and can cause unnecessary tension.
You really just went 11 rounds with yourself covering a lot of tough topics from lost love to identity and art. Now that you’re on the other side of these stories, what have you learnt from ‘Zig’ that you’d love to impart on fans?
The personal take away is going to be far different from what the listener takes. Now that it’s out -it’s there’s and no longer mine.
The album ends almost mid-sentence, and just cuts during such a tactile moment like Prove It. What’s the take away from this sudden full-stop?
Sometimes that’s how life happens.
These new tracks will culminate in a draw-dropping live show, no doubt. When will you be putting them on display for your Australian fans?
I have been trying to get to Australia for some time now, since the last time was in 2019. It is very much a part of conversation 🙂
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